Riot Squat Bar - 35mm, 20 kg - Fully Knurled

Riot Squat Bar

Overview

Built for maximum stability under extreme loads, the Riot Squat Bar features a massive 35 mm shaft that minimizes whip and keeps the bar stable during heavy squats. The aggressive 1.5 mm full-length knurling provides secure control on the back, while additional orientation rings help lifters position the bar consistently at every rep. Like every bar in the Riot range, it was designed in-house, including the wide, sword-and-torch-inspired sleeve collar shared with the Deadlift Bar.

35 mm Squat Bar with Bronze Bushings and Hard Chrome Finish

Hard chrome covers both the shaft and sleeves. The thin, dense coating follows the profile of the aggressive knurl closely, preserving a clear, secure grip while helping protect the steel against rust and abrasion during repeated heavy training. The same bright hard chrome finish is used on the sleeves throughout the Riot range. Calibrated competition bars in stainless steel, nickel and black chrome are separate models within the range.

Each sleeve runs on a solid graphite-infused bronze bushing. Graphite particles embedded directly in the bronze create a permanent, self-lubricating bearing surface. Because the lubricant is held within the metal, it cannot dry out or wash away and does not require routine re-greasing over the working life of the squat bar.

Compared with needle bearings, the bronze bushings rotate more slowly and with greater resistance. This produces calm, controlled sleeve rotation and helps limit plate swing and over-rotation during the descent and ascent of a heavy back squat. Less movement at the sleeves means less instability across the upper back under load.

How Shaft Stiffness Controls Whip and Oscillation

The 35 mm shaft is the thickest in the Riot range and is designed to minimise whip under heavy loads. Because resistance to bending increases sharply with shaft diameter, the additional 6 mm compared with a standard power bar makes this squat bar significantly stiffer. During a heavy back squat, the shaft remains stable across the shoulders throughout the descent and ascent, with minimal bounce, lag or oscillation. This controlled behaviour keeps the focus on the lift when stability is the priority. The Deadlift Bar uses a thinner shaft to produce the flex required for heavy pulls.

Every Riot bar uses the same identification system. The product name, weight and shaft diameter are laser-engraved on the inside face of the Sleeve Collar, keeping the specifications visible whether the bar is hung, stacked or stored collar-first in a rack. The end cap repeats the key details for quick identification. On this 25 kg squat bar, the cap is colour-coded red and displays the weight clearly, making it easy to select the correct bar.

FAQ

Why is the shaft so thick at 35mm?
A thicker shaft is inherently stiffer against bending, and that stiffness increases steeply with diameter so the extra millimetres over a power bar make a big difference. It keeps the bar dead-stable across your back during heavy squats, a stability a thinner, more flexible bar can't match.

Isn't full-length knurling too aggressive for daily training?
It's aggressive by design, matching the demands of max-effort back squats, but many lifters find the secure grip and back placement outweigh the discomfort — a towel or shirt across the traps is a common workaround for lighter sessions.

What are the orientation rings for?
They sit where the knurling-free zone would normally end on a power bar, giving you a quick visual and tactile reference for consistent, symmetrical hand and back placement every rep.

Can I use this bar for deadlifts?
It's built and tuned for squats. The thick, stiff shaft won't flex like a deadlift bar, so you lose the bar-whip advantage that helps with pulls. Use our Deadlift Bar for that lift.

What's the weight tolerance?
±1%, consistent with our standard (non-calibrated) training bars.

What's laser-engraved on this bar, and where?
The name, weight, and shaft diameter are laser-engraved on the inside face of the sleeve collar, so they stay legible for the bar's whole life. The end cap repeats the weight and is colour-coded red for this 25kg bar.

Why does the sleeve collar look like that?
It's part of Riot's in-house design language: the angled, faceted collar is drawn to suggest both an Olympic torch and a double-edged sword. This bar has the widest collar in the range, shared with the Deadlift Bar.